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Did you ChaCha with “Angels and Demons”?

What’s the appeal of entertaining mobile answer services? For example, were you one of the almost North American 500 mobile ChaCha text questioners wanting to know the running time for “Angels and Demons”? If so, why? Are we so busy that we would choose a movie based on its running time?

The nifty thing about ChaCha (tagline: ur mobile bff) is it isn’t mobile-only. You can visit the website to query the types of questions submitted and read the responses. Following, are some of the more interesting queries about “Angels and Demons”:

What are the Boromini sculptures featured in Angels & Demons?Baroque gems designed by rivals Borromini and Bernini. … Marble sculptures of angels are seen on the Ponte Sant’Angelo.

Should I watch Star Trek or Angels and Demons?Depending on what you like, you should choose which suits you more. I would go with Angels & Demons. I like Tom Hanks! ChaCha on!

Are there angels and demons on earth? This depends on your faith. Many religious people do believe that angels and demons inhabit the Earth.- ChaCha for now!

What religion does Euen McGregor practice?Euen is an atheist. He currently co-stars in the movie “Angles and Demons.” Enjoy, ChaCha!

Bottomline, ChaCha is fun. Here are a few queries on other topics:

Can you break up with my boyfriend?I cannot break up with your boyfriend for you. You should, however, break up with him in person. Don’t do it by phone or email.

How do I break up with my girlfriend and not break her heart?Don’t go hi-tech. Yes, it’s the age of being gadget savvy, but ending a relationship is still a personal and painful thing MORE?

Why am i a sexi beast? My magic eight ball says it has to do with your sense of humor and personality. Would you like to hear your horoscope? Cha Cha on!

Do u think i am fat?Of course not! I’m sure you look great and all your friends are jealous. Remember, eat healthy and exercise. Have a good night.

When I Googled ChaCha, the paid sponsor links presented were kgb.com and answerly.com. I visited both and found KGB showcased what I perceive to be questions that are texted in the moment rather than a library of questions asked. The other service, Answerly.com, is not a geared toward mobile.

How will these entertaining instant mobile answer services become more relevant over the next few years? One answer can be found in multicultural segments.

According to Portada, issue of year 6 number 32, Latinos are driving U.S. mobile growth. There are currently 3.3B active cell phones world-wide and only 1B active Internet accounts. According to the Pew Internet & American Lifestyle Project featured in Portada, Latinos are the most reluctant cultural group to give up their cell phones. Further, they rely on the mobile web more than any other group.

Both Sprint and AT&T have done tremendous research around the Hispanic demographic. They have undertaken numerous marketing programs to develop community relationships. Currently, AT&T has the most Hispanic customers; 7M delivering $5B in revenue.

What does this mean for ChaCha? While the brand name may not have been chosen to speak to Latinos, it nevertheless does. ChaCha delivers friendly, light-hearted conversation that clicks with Hispanic culture.

J.D. Power and Associates indicates 31% of Hispanic households earn over $50,000 annually; 13% earn over $75,000; and 6% earn over $100,000. This last group experienced a 126% growth spurt between 1991 and 2001, compared with only 77% for the general market.

Latinos are relocating more than ever before. When relocating, every family seeks guides to enable adaption to new communities through local Chambers of Commerce, community welcome wagons, community centers, and schools. Add to this tool box mobile services that provide instant answers when people need them most – now. ChaCha, Vindigo City Guide 3.0 (RIP), AT&T Interactive, KGB, and LocalMobileSearch.net are just a few companies established for the instant answer business.

ChaCha is terrific because the service guides can also provide quick answers to lifestyle questions as captured at the beginning of this feature. Imagine a kid who walks on to a new campus on the first day of school needing a best friend that can give them the low down on how to stay cool.

So while ChaCha may not have intended to serve the Hispanic market, they’re poised to capture a significant share.

No one knows the silver bullet that will save media companies struggling to survive in today’s economy, but more than a few media execs are certain of one thing: there will be a premium on trust. Speaking at IWantMedia’s Future of Media: 2009 panel, Nick Denton, Craig Newmark and Jack Dorsey were agreed that success online will increasingly depend on consumer trust. (video here)

According to Newmark, the founder of Craig’s List: “Trust is the new black.”

This is increasingly a concern for media companies dependent on ads for revenue for a good reason: consumers don’t trust advertising.

Online video isn’t exactly the new kid on the block amongst those the digital industry, but it is maturing into a meaner, tougher kind of service. It is also the one area of display advertising that I’m expecting to flourish over the next twelve months or so, especially in the interactive segment.

It’s no surprise that video in general is on the increase, given that users are continually wanting an engaging experience. According to comScore’s US video metrics, 14.5bn online videos were watched during March this year – a massive 11% increase from February – and I’m equally of the opinion that this trend will be very similar in the UK.

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